Measuring apparatus.



s. H. GIBSON.

MEASURING APPARATUS.

APPLlcATloN FILED MAY1s.19||.

1,249,614. -Patnted Da. 11,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ZAI

" l ELA?" Fla 2 F1a. 4Q

IN VE N TOR fav@ fsf., QM

v V By m ,i

n: Z1' A TTORNE Y G. H. GIBSON.

MEASUBING APPARATUS.

APPLlcATloN msn MAY la. |911. V

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 f )A 'i L a ATTORNEY GEORGE lEl. GSOAA', 0F MONTCLAAR, NEW JERSEY. ASSGNOR T0 JOSEPH S. LOVERNG- rnmvsrnv or riarnannnrn, PENNSYLV TON, WILLIAM S. HALLOWELLAND JDHN' C. JUNES, ALL 0F PHILADELPHIA, IA, DOING BUSINESS AS FIRM UF HARRISON SAFETY BOALEIA WEKS,

MEASURING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

@riginal application tiled Aebruary 1, 191A, Serial No. 605,879. Divided and this application led May 13,'

T all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that ll, GEORGE H. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Montclair, in the county of lEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful llmprovement in weir over whlch the liquid to be measured is caused to How and so shape the weir that the titl latter divides the water Howing over it into two or more streams in such manner that the rate of How in one of said streams' is a constant fraction of the total rate of dow, regardless of the variations in the latter, and then directly measure the amount of water dowing in said one stream. lBy proceeding in this manner ll reduce the amount of water directly measured sumciently so that it may be readily and accurately Ineasured byapparatus which is comparatively small and inexpensive, whereas, similar apparatus of capacity sucient to directly measure the entire amount of water Howing vvould be too bulky and on that account too expensive to permit of its practical use.

lll/ly invention in its broader aspects is capable of use for many purposes. llt is however of especial practical utility'when used in combination with a-vvater heater of the well known open feed water type to measure the water issuing'` from the heater.

'Ahe need of simple and edective apparatus to measure the water passing through heaters. particularly in the case of open feed water heaters employed forA preheat-ing boiler feed water, has long been recognized by those having to do withthe operation of steam generating plants, inasmuch as such measurement is desirable for various reasons, one of the more important of which is the check thus had on the manner in which such plants are operated.

ln employing my invention in conjunction "with an open feed water heater, ll ar- Serial No. 627,085.

the water purifying or filter screen of the heater tank as a means for obtaining a quiet dow of water into the measuring chamber and an avoidance of currents tending to disturb the water level thereint l prefer to control the supply of water to the heater automatically, in response to variations in the water level at t-he outlet side of the'weir,

preferably also, ll connect the steam space of the heater tank and the steam space of the measuring chamber, to equalize the pres sure conditions therein, and this insures the same or substantially the same water level in the tank and in the measuring chamber.

'llhe broad combination of an open water heater and welr measuring apparatus de` scribed in the preceding paragraph is not claimed herein, however. as it forms the subject matter of my prior Patent No. 1,015,556 granted January 23rd, 1912. the present application being a division of the application resulting in said patent.

ln the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter l have illustrated and described various forms of apparatus which may be used in carrying out my invention.

Uf the drawings,

Figure l is a sectional elevation of one form of combined water heating and measuring apparat-us.

Fig. 2 isa partial sectional elevation. taken transversely yto Fig. A.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of an over- How boX employed in the construction shown in Figs. A and 2.

Fig. A is a view taken similarly to Fig. 2 illustrating a second form of apparatus for directly measuring one of the streamsdowing over the weir.

Figs. 5 and 6 are partial sectional elevations taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 and line 6t of Fig. 5. respectively, illustrating a third form of apparatus for directly measuring one of the streams dowing over the weir.

titi

Atl

lltltl Fig. 7 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 1 showing a fourth form of apparatus for measuring one of the streams flowing over the Weir.

Fig. 8 is a partial elevation of a detail employed in the construction shownu in Fig. 7 vand Fi 9 is a view taken similarly to Fig. 2 showing still another form of apparatus for measuring one of the streams flowing over the weir.

ln the construction shown by the drawings A represents the body portion or tank of an open feed water heater, which in its general construction and arrangement may be identical with the common form of-A this type of heater which has beennwell known and in common use for many years. In the form illustrated the heater is provided with water spreading trays A upon which the water to be heated overflows from the distribution box A2. x@ln the lower end of the heater is arranged a perforated plate A3 upon which coke or the like purifying and filtering, material A4 is placed. A5 represents a discharge orifice above the normal water level in the tank through which wat-er may overflow under some conditions, as hereinafter explained, and A6 represents the main discharge orifice through which the water heated in the heater is discharged.

The water to be heated is admitted through the pipe' B, which, as shown, has two branches, one B', adapted to lead from a hot well of the condenser or like source of water, while the other, B2, serves to supply the make up water. The steam for heating the water, which may be, and ordinarily is, exhaust steam from engines, is admitted through pipe C to a separator C of common form. The oil and other impurities separated from the steam in the separator C passes through the pipe C2 to the overflow box D into which the port A5 opens. Within the overflow box D is arranged a float D which serves, when the liquid level in the box D rises above a predetermined height to open a valve D? in the overflow or waste pipe D3. X represents the stand pipe through which air and excess steam may escape from the tank A.

ln the apparatus shown in the drawings a measuring box or receptacle E is secured to the side,'and forms a part of a unitary structure with the heater tank A. The receptacle E is divided into two compartments E and E2 by a partition or barrier E3. The baffle E3 does not extend to the top of the receptacle but serves as a weir over which water overflows from the compartment E to the,

three of these notches. These notches are alike, in that the bottoms of the notches are on the same level, and that the sides of each notch are straight. It is not essential however that the angle between the two sid-es of each notch should be the same, and in the construction illustrated, the angle between the sides of the one notch E5 is substantially more acute than the angles between the sides of the two notches E0. With this arrangement the flow through any one of the weir notches and in particular through the notch E5 will be a constant .fraction of the total flow through all the notches regardless of the variations in the total flow. The gage glass 150 connected at top and bottom to the compartment E above and below the water 'level therein will, in conjunction with a proper scale indicate the rate of flow.

In the construction shown in Figs. l and f2 the stream of water passing through the notch E5 discharges into a receptacle ET located within the compartment E2 and passes therefrom through a pipe V to an external water meter V from which it passes back to the compartment E2 proper and mingles with the water passing directly into that compartment through the notches.

The discharge orifice A from the heater tank A proper, opens directly into compartment E at the lower end of the latter. The orifice AG should be .relatively large in cross section to obtain the equable flow of water from the tank A into the compartment E necessary to avoid fluctuations in the height of the water level in the compartment E. With the arrangement shown, the Iilter screen formed by the perforated plate A", and the filter material supported thereon, aids materially in producing the uniformity of flow into compartment E desired, and this screen and filter layer make unnceessary any separate provisions for preventing currents likely to disturb the water level in the measuring chamber.

I consider it desirable in some cases to provide a liap valve A7 and a handle therefor by means of which the port AG may be closed from time to time, say for a. few minutes each day, to thereby quickly build up the water level in the tank A to the height at which the oil or like impurities accumulated at the top of the water in the tank A ma v be floated off through the overflow box D.

With open feed water heaters of the kind shown, the pressure within the tank A is ordinarily slightly above that of the atmosphere and in some installations, and under some conditions of operation, the pressure within the tank A may be ten pounds or so above that of the atmosphere. This makes it quite desirable that the pressure in the steam space in compartments E and E2 should be the saine as the steam pressure withir the tank A. rThis efpiali'fzation in lli( inaaeia steam pressure is 'obtained by equalizing connections such as are formed by the pipe Jl connecting the steam spaces in the tank A` trolled by means' of a float G arran ed within the compartment E2 or prefera ly Within a float box G open to the compart ment E2. The float G is connected to and operates the valve G3 through suitable connections G2. The arrangement is such that when the water level in compartment E2 rises to a certain predetermined height the supply of make up water is cut od'by the valve G5 and this valve opens only when the Water level in compartment E2 falls below such predetermined level.

With the arrangement shown inthe drawings it will be apparent that in case the Water supplied by the pipe E and that derived from vthe condensation of steam admitted through the pipe C, materially exceeds the amount of Water taken out of the apparatus through the service connection F, the overflow'through the port A5 will not be eHective to prevent the water level from building up' in the compartment E2 to a height which will a'ect the flow over the Weir E3 and thereby interfere with the` proper division of the Water into proportional streams. With all forms of my invention ll` usually prefer to limit the possibility of error in this Way by making the capacity ot the compartment E2 ample to hold a. quantity of Water greater than that Which can accumulate in normal operation in tank A and compartment E above the level of the apices of the Weir notches E5 and E, ln practice, however an objectionable excess accumulation et Water in the apparatus rarely occurs except lWhen it is intentionally desiredto raise the Water level in the tank A to produce a limited overflow therefrom through the discharge port A5 in order to float or skim oft oil orlike impurities collecting at the upper surface of the Water in tank A.

ln my original application Ser.` No. 605,879 ll have disclosed means in addition to and somewhat more elaborate than those disclosed herein for controlling the supply of Water to the heater to thereby avoid all possibility of flooding the compartment E2; but it seems unnecessary to repeat such disclosure herein. llt will of course be understood that the measuring apparatus for the stream passing through the notch E5 Will dispose of the Water passing through the notch in such manner that the tlovv through the notch is not obstructed.

- In the construction shown in Fig. 4 the Water passing through the Weir notch E5 col lects in a receptacle E7, as in Figs. 1 and 2. ln this form of the invention the receptacle E7 discharges directly but intermittently into the compartment E2. rll`he discharge provisions comprise a siphoii pipe Wt Which begins to discharge the receptacle ET as soon as the Water level rises to the top of the pipe and continues thereafter to discharge A float H5 rising and falling as the receptacle E7 fills and empties actuates an eX ternal counting train or registering device E10 once for each time that the receptacle is filled and emptied.

ln the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the Water passing through the notch E5 is measured by a tilting liquid measuring device of common type located Within the compartment E2 of the receptacle E. ln the form shown this tilting device comprises a double ended pivoted trough or chute W the receptacle E7 until the latter is empty. y

which, when tilted in one direction discharges into one, and when tilted in the other direction discharges into the other of a pair of similar tilting buckets or receptacles W. Each of the tilting receptacles is pivoted at `W2 at one side of and below the center of gravity of the bucketJ when filled and is counterweighted as by the Weight W5 secured to it above the pivotalaxis W2 so that each bucket while filling occupies the position occupied in Fig. 5 by the front bucket, but after receiving a predetermined Welght of liquid tilts into the position occupied in Fig. 6 by the rear bucket, remaining in the latter position until emptied. Each bucket 1s pro vided with a siphon discharge pipe W4 by means of which the bucket is emptied when tilted into the discharge position. Each bucket W as it tilts forward after .being filled turns the chute "W into the position in which the stream ot Water passing through the notch E5 is diverted to the other bucket. lllhe tilting chute W operates an external register or counting train R2 by means of a rod W5 extending through the Wall of the Weir vbox E.

ln the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the Water passing into the receptacle E7 through the notch E5, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, passes out through the pipe Y, the latter be ing formed with a trap or seal portion l deep enough to prevent the passage through f it of air into or steam out ot the receptacle E7 as the pressure in the receptacle E7 varies throughits ordinary range. The pipe Y is adapted to serve, however, as a safety valve i through which steam or vapor may blow to the atmosphere upon a rise of the pressure Within the measuring receptacle above the ordinary range. The pipe Y dlscharges -into -a tank Y2 which is supported by a weighing mechanism comprising the counterweighted balancing levers YB. The tank Y2 is intermittently emptied and the water discharged into it returned into the com-4 partment E2 of receptacle E by a steam pump Z, Z representing the inlet pipe to the water cylinder of the pump, and Z2 the deliveryv pipe. and a valve Z3 in the steam ysupply pipe Z4 of the pump Z are arranged to be alternately and intermittently opened and closed by the three armed lever Y5, connected to the lever Y0. The latter is located in 4the tank Y2 and at its lower end carries a float Y?. At its fulcrum end the lever Y0 is formed with a segment Y8 (see Fig. 8) having one straight sided notch Y9 and a rounded notch Y-1-0 formed in its periphery.

` When the parts are in the positions shown f in the drawing and the receptacle Y2 is filling up, a rod Yllpassing loosely through a bracket arm Y12 above the top of the receptacle Y2 enters the notch Y9 and holds the float down against the bottom of the tank. In this condition of the apparatus the valve Z3 is closed and the valve Y* is'open. When the tank Y2 fills up with water to such an extent that the weight `of the tank and conf and opens the valve Z3. 40

tents overcomes the lifting action of the balance levers Y-the tank descends, rod Y11 being prevented from dropping `by the nut or head Y13, then passes out of the notch Y". When this occurs vthe oat moves upward and through the lever Y5 closes the valve Y* This starts the pump Z in operation. While the tank Y2 is being emptied thus, the water passing through the notch E5 of the weir accumulates in the receptacle E7 which should be of suitable capacityto hold the water flowing through the notch E5 while the tank Y2 is being emptied. As soon as the discharge from the tank Y2 begins, the latter rises to the normal level, but this, of course, does not affect, in itself, the valves YL and Z3. Wire drawing or throttling in the valves is prevented by the entrance of the lower end of the rod Y11 into the notch Y10 which prevents the float Y7 from returning to the bottom of the tank while'the water therein eX- erts any iiotative effect on the latter. When the Water ceases to exert any lifting effect on the ioat the friction between the rod Y11 and the wall of the notch Y10 is no llonger suiicient to prevent the float from dropping, and the float then drops far enough so that the rod Y11 can enter the notch Y0. The number of times the tank Y2 is filled and subsequently emptied may be registered by the register R10 actuated in' any suitable way, as by a connection to the lever Y".

l A from the compartment E7. A valve YL in the pipe Y .The arrangement shown in Fig. 9 resembles that of Fig. 7 in that the Water from the receptacle is discharged through a pipe Y into an external measuring tank receptacle Y20 and that the latter is intermittently emptied by a steam pump Z. In Fig. 9 however there is no automatically controlled valve in the pipe Y, which is, therefore, adapted to serve at all times as a combined safety valve tube and outflow connection The tank Y20 is stationary and the valve Z3 from the steam pipeZ* of the pump is intermittently opened and closed by a float H20. The lever carrying the oat H20 has an arm H21 connected by a pin and slot connection to the rod Z5 for operating the valve Z3, so that the valve Z3 after being opened on the filling of the tank Y20 will stay open until the tank is emptied and the float H20 descends to the bottom of the tank. The float H20 operates a counting device R10.

With the apparatus shown in Figs. 4: and 9, it is apparent that inaccurate results will be obtained with varying rates of How over the weir, since varying quantities of Water will then overflow into and out of the receptacle E? during the periods in which the latter is being discharged. Such inaccuracy is prevented with the arrangement shown in Figs. l, 6 and 7. It is to be observed also that the siphon discharge employed in Figs.

4c, 5 and 6 is not suitable for use where the water measured exceeds a temperature of about 206 F., as with water hotter than this the necessary unbroken column of water in the Siphon discharge pipe will not be maintained.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the avoidance of eddy currents and undesirable disturbances in the level of the liquid on the supply side of the weir, the equalization of pressures in the Weir chamber and heater, and the regulation of the water flow in the system as a whole, obtained with thearrangement of the Weir chamber with respect to the water heating and measurin systems described, all contribute towar the production of a satisfactory and eflicient Water heating. and measuring plant. As -I have previously indic'ated however my present invention in its broader aspects is not limited to use in combination with' a Water heater.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statute I have illustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known to me it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes in the form of apparatus disclosed may bemade without departing from the spirit of my invention, and that in certain cases some features of the invention may be employed with advantage without a correspondin use of other features, and that in genera, the form of igienici apparatus embodying my invention, which is most advantageous to employ will depend upon the particular conditions oit' use.

Having now described my invention what n l claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. Liquid flow measuring apparatus comprising in combination, a receptacle, a weir dividing itfinto inlet and outlet comparttu ments and formed with two or more notches through which the liquid overows from one side of the Weir to the other in such separate streams that the quantity rate ot ilow of one stream is a constant fraction of the total le quantity rate of dow oi all said streams, a

second receptacle located in saidoutlet compartment into which said one stream passes and means for measuring the liquid passing into said second receptacle.-

V 2c 2. Liquid dow measuring apparatus comprising a chamber having a plurality of W shaped discharge orices with their apices at a common level, and measuring meansl receiving and measuring the liquid discharged 2c through one of said orifices.

3. Liquid dow measuring apparatus comprising in combination an inlet chamber and two outlet chambers each connected to said inlet chamber by one or more similarly tu shaped and unobstructed discharge orices having their bottoms at a common level, and means for insuring a liquid level in said outlet chambers substantially below the level ot the bottoms of said orifices whereby saidorices serve to maintain a hired roportion between the amounts of liquid ischarged from said inlet chamber into the two outlet chambers, `and. means responsive to the height ,of liquid level in said inlet chamber at for obtaining a measure of the dow of liquid through each and all of said orices.

t. Liquid How measuring apparatus, comprising in combination a closed receptacle, a weir dividing it into inlet and outlet comit partments and formed with two or more notches through which the liquid flows from one side of the weir to the other in such separate streams that the quantity rate of how of one stream is a constant fraction of tu the total rate of flow of all of said streams, a second receptacle located in said outlet compartment into which said one stream passes, and means external to the rst mentioned receptacle and including a conduit tt leading from said second receptacle for measuring the liquid passing into the latter.

5. Liquid dow measuring apparatus comprising in combination, a closed receptacle,

a' Weir dividing it into inlet and outlet comce partments and formed with two or more notches through which the liquid Hows to one side or the otherin such separate streams that the quantityrate of How of one stream is a constant fraction of the total rate of How of all of said streams, a second recept5 tacle located in said outlet compartment into which said one stream passes and means located externally to the first mentioned receptacle and including a conduit leading away from said second receptacle, a conduit leading to said outlet compartment and pumping means for measuring the liquid passing into said second 'receptacle and returning it to said voutlet compartment- 6. lin a gravity meter having a compartment containing water and subject to pressure above the atmosphere, a water intake, a water discharge and a combined vapor seal and continuously operative water out- Howr pipe.

7. ln a gravity meter, intended to have maintained therein,`pressures above the at mosphere,4 receiving and storage compartments, and a tube safety valve connected with one of the compartments.

8. lin a gravity meter, intended to have pressures abovethe atmosphere maintained therein, receiving and storage compartments and an outdow connected from one oft the compartments extending below the level of the compartment and vented to the atmosphere.l ,i

9. lin a gravity meter, a recelvmg and measuring compartment, a water supply connection therefor, a discharge compartment, a discharge connection therefrom, a

feeding device connected to the discharge compartment and va Heat and connections for controlling the operation of the device in proportion to the` mean supply of returnwater to the receiving terminal:

10. A gravity meter comprising a receiving compartment, a Weir formnga portlon of the side wall ot said compartment and formed with a notch through which water may How out of'said receiving compartment, and comprlsing also a compartment recelv.- l

ing the water discharged from said receiving compartment through said notch, and in combination therewith a pump for withdrawing` water from said last mentloned compartment and a iloat responsive t9 the height of water level in said last mentioned compartment and means 'actuated thereby for controlling the operation of said pump. lult GE. H. GlBSUN.

Witnesses e PAUL 0. Bauern, EUGENE L. LARKIN. 

